Feb 042007
Hey diddle diddle. Here’s your chance to fiddle over this year’s big shew. Any rock-related ads or references beside Sheryl Crow’s hair color not fading away? Anyone disappointed that Prince didn’t wear football pants for his performance, a la early-80s Jagger?
Geez, I’m surprised how positive the general RTH reaction was to Prince. I was disappointed. Can someone explain why those covers were good ideas? Sure, he played the hell out of them – he can play the hell out of anything. But to what end? I like a good WTF moment as much as anyone, but “The Best of You”? And if you’re going to pay a tribute, how about something by JB?
Don’t, however, construe this as a slam of the use of the marching band. I’m having a hard time thinking of a bad marching band-rock instersection.
Man, Prince had a killer guitar tone. Buddy Holly must be rolling in his grave at the butchering of “Not Fade Away” by Sheryl Crow. As for Rock n Roll and Marching bands, Feetwood Mac’s “Tusk,” baby!
Dr. John
No, Rick, you’re right. I think the general comparative excellence of this year’s Princetravaganza, compared to — oh, hell, *every* halftime show I’ve ever seen — was *so* great that I, for one, gave him a Hall Pass(TM) for the questionable material choices. That Foo Fighters cover was a Very Sad Thing, in my estimation. But I think it spoke well of the guy that he was able to sublimate his “I am a frickin’ genius” tendencies and play a wide variety of stuff that would appeal to the Average Joe. For sure, there coulda been more funk and less all-American cheese — but in general I was pleased. As always, a C+ effort by Prince is close to a solid “A” by anybody else. Isn’t that usually his problem?
Rick Massimo, I can’t defend the covers themselves, probably shout-outs for the rockists in the viewing audience. I was impressed. Through primal guitar wanking not seen on television since “Don Kirschner’s Rock Concert” raged on and the tenacity of an artist sticking with the horses that got him there (much like Lovie Smith had hoped to do with Rex Grossman), Prince overcame years of my cheap dismissals. It all went out the window maybe a minute into “Purple Rain”, the song he had to sing at that moment, the song leading into halftime I’d most dreaded watching him sing. I experienced a wave of rockist pride and elation that made up for the fact that the game featured almost no great plays after the opening kickoff, no agony of defeat, no heroes, no villains.
I too was underwhelmed and am a little surprised at all the love the performance is getting both here and elsewhere on the web. I didn’t like the medley format and most of the song choices. Sure, the marching band was fab and there was some true downpour showmanship on display, but it all ultimately rang rather hollow for me.
That’s exactly what was missing. I know he’s not going to do “Head” or “Sister,” and “Controversy” might’ve opened up a can of worms not best suited to a Super Bowl halftime, but certainly “My Name is Prince” would’ve opened some eyes. And if he wanted to do something rockin’ for the football dudes, he’s got plenty to choose from: “I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man,” for starters.
“I Could Never Take the Place Of Your Man”?! Rick, you know I luv ya, but that is one of the girliest songs in his arsenal! Think of the fey riff that follows the title after it’s sung in the chorus. Instant softie! I’m not saying that Prince doesn’t have some real rockers in his catalog, but that’s more like a song he should license to Josie and the Pussycats or something!
The guy was standing up there in front of a national tv audience like a fool in the rain, with CBS execs probably quaking in their wingtips that he’d turn around and expose his assless chaps. He had to appeal to the masses. Unlike the past few times over his endless comeback tour that I’ve seen him perform on tv, he didn’t spend much time preaching to the converted about his briliant mercurial career and his great respect for the masters. He just played a slightly twisted medley that I thought did more than said all the things I’ve heard fans say he does in concert. Maybe you had to be a non-fan to appreciate the message. After a while it went down as easy as tea with two heaping spoonfuls of sugar and a lot of milk.
Indeed. I think that was the intent, and there’s really nothing wrong with such a thing.
So far, are Fritz and Christian, based on his comments from last night, the only longtime Prince fans who were more or less down with the performance? I don’t mean to characterize the comments by the rest of his fans here as being wholly negative.
Don’t cop out on today’s poll! We’re getting a lot of action here today, but I sense you’re holding on too tightly to artists you love but would acknowledge are, by all reasonable standards, terrible.
I notice *you* haven’t voted!
What would give you that impression? I cast the first vote, for The Shaggs. I’m nothing if not honest and forthright about these issues.
1. He’s not exactly Jandek. He kinda already does appeal to the masses.
2. He had to appeal to the masses, so he played a Foo Fighters song? He doesn’t need the Foo Fighters. I mean, a coupla measures might’ve been a cool cop, but that felt like the longest single piece of the whole show (maybe it just felt that way).
Whatever. I’m glad you liked it. And compared to other Super Bowl halftime shows, I liked it too. But really, of all the people anywhere near the level of Super Bowl-halftime-eligible, Prince is the closest thing we’ve got to an heir to James Brown. THAT’s something I was hoping he’d go out and prove (though the rain probably shut down some dance moves).
I was thinking about this last night, and I think the message was “I own all modern popular music, black and white.” He didn’t just play Creedence, he played Ike & Tina Turner’s Proud Mary. He didn’t just play Dylan, he played Hendrix’s All Along the Watchtower. He laid claim to all eras by playing first a traditional Tele, then a modernized Strat, and then a futuristic instrument that he alone can play.
The Super Bowl is about throwing down and proclaiming yourself champion. Unlike the Bears he can even play in the rain; all he needs is a doo-rag. The Colts kind of stumbled towards a win, but this was Prince saying “Today this is my house.”
This is not exactly what a dedicated Prince fan like me would have wished for. I would have backed off on the distortion a bit and put the guitar heroics in the context of the band and the compositions, but it was mightily impressive in a way that makes sense for a Super Bowl broadcast.
Wasn’t the marching band a prop? When they came out I thought it was great idea, but I strained unsuccessfully to hear them in the sound mix.
One thing for sure — he didn’t lip-sync. That band is so well-rehearsed that it almost felt like the medley was improvised. The videography certainly seemed less mapped out than in previous years.
Rick wrote:
What’s that actually mean? We can agree to disagree, but maybe we need to take this to its own thread, so that we can first disagree on the Main Stage. Check back shortly.
Excellent. I’ve got to go actually do some work, but I’ll check back in a while.
Re: Today’s Poll
Mad Props to those of you who appropriate my “impeccable taste” approach. You “win” regardless of the final outcome.
What I am more amazed at is how the
tv execs were patting themselves on the
back that there were no “wardrobe
malfunctions” in Prince’s performance.
Ok – I saw it, my kids saw it – how did
folks miss the “guitar as phallus” when
the curtain was raised and Prince’s silhouette was
illuminated larger than life with the
curly and straight parts of the guitar
sticking out – looking very similar to
well, you know? I had a very good laugh
over that one.